Rivalries: Matt Schnell

Matt Schnell could use some good news as he attempts to navigate the treacherous Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight division.

The Fortis MMA standout will seek his first win in more than two years when he takes on Cody Durden in a UFC Fight Night 242 attraction on Sept. 7 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Schnell, 34, steps back into the spotlight on the heels of two straight losses. He last competed on March 2, when Steve Erceg wiped him out with a devastating left hook in the second round of their UFC Fight Night 238 confrontation.

As Schnell approaches his upcoming clash with Costa at 125 pounds, a look at a few of the rivalries that have shaped his career to this point:

Klayton Mai

Schnell struck gold for the first time when he submitted “The Python” with an armbar to lay claim to the interim Legacy Fighting Championship flyweight title in the LFC 52 main event on March 25, 2016 at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Mai—who had won the first meeting between the two some two years prior—conceded defeat 2:14 into Round 1. Schnell traded punches upstairs, tested the water with kicks to the body and legs, engaged the Texan in the clinch and floored him with a jarring right hook. The knockdown set off a scramble, at which point the resourceful Mai powered into side control. However, he left a limb exposed in his haste to generate offense. Schnell rolled his hips, bit down on the armbar and readjusted his grip repeatedly until he found the right position to procure the tapout.

Alexandre Pantoja

The American Top Team ace put away Schnell with first-round punches as part of the UFC Fight Night 165 undercard on Dec. 21, 2019 at Sajik Arena in Busan, South Korea. Pantoja drew the curtain 4:17 into Round 1. Operating in the shadows of the Frankie Edgar-Chan Sung Jung headliner, Schnell elected to fight fire with fire—they combined to land 54 significant strikes—against the experienced Brazilian and paid the price. Pantoja floored his American counterpart with a right hook, then mopped up the rest with subsequent punches. “The Cannibal” went on to capture the undisputed UFC flyweight crown a little less than three years later and remains perched atop the 125-pound weight class.

Tyson Nam

Schnell showed off his wares and managed to eke out a split decision the well-traveled Hawaiian in their UFC on ESPN 20 flyweight feature on Jan. 20, 2021 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. All three judges struck 29-28 scorecards: Michael Bell and Anders Ohlsson for Schnell, Eric Colon for Nam. Schnell was quicker on the draw and routinely beat the heavy-handed Hawaiian to the punch. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 24 quarterfinalist pieced together two-, three- and sometimes four-punch volleys, and his chin stood the test against Nam’s nuclear right hand whenever it was called upon. Nam stepped up his activity in the third round, but his 15-minute hunt for the knockout shot came up empty.

Matheus Nicolau

“The Ultimate Fighter Brazil” Season 4 semifinalist continued his climb on the 125-pound ladder, as he dismissed Schnell with punches in the second round of their UFC on ESPN 42 flyweight showcase on Dec. 3, 2022 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Referee Dan Miragliotta pulled the plug 1:44 into Round 2. Nicolau circled on the outside and patiently waited for openings to present themselves; and while the crowd grew restless at times with his approach, it became clear he had a plan and intended to execute it. He decked Schnell with a left hook in the first round, applied some ground-and-pound and set the table for what was to come. Nicolau knocked down the Sayid Sauf protege again with a right hand behind the ear in the second and hammered away with punches until the stoppage was called.